But the tightening seems to spread to your lower back – that hasn’t happened before. You feel the sensation three more times within the hour, and it swells and occurs more frequently in the succeeding hours. It ultimately feels like waves crashing on top of another.

“I’m only 30 weeks along,” you say to yourself. “It’s too early.”

Now you’re stressed – still in denial that you could already be in labour. You consult your doctor. He instructs you to get yourself to the hospital immediately. Within the hour after you arrive, your baby decides it’s time for his big arrival.

Carla would like to think she's a forward-thinking independent woman, but in truth, she loves being pampered by her doting husband, who gives her a lot of inspiration to write meaningful stories about marriage, parenthood, and the chaos and joy of raising their 2 little princesses